Random map generator

A work in progress project for generating random maps for the game video game Timberborn. Minimum supported map size is 32x32, maximum is 384x384. All maps are squares and the Y parameter on "new map" is used as a seed. If the Y parameter is the same as x, it is completely random and unseeded from the user. It once used several open source projects, including the works of Caps_Errors (initial python code), reddit user u/savanik (updated with river handling), MSterczewski (some plugin modeling), but as of the C# rewrite (version 0.9.0 release) the plugin is completely comprised of independent code, other than the use of one OSS C# noise library, known as FastNoiseLite. FastNoise is very fast at producing noise, and well, it was helpful.

It used to be that if you were on a Mac, Python was needed for this thing to work. That is no longer the case. This is now a pure C# plugin with the only dependencies being it, the game, Bepinex, and TimberAPI.

Generating a map

Generating a map is simple! Install the plugin, and generate a new map! Be aware all maps will be square due a (hopefully temporary) limitation of the generator, and all maps generated will by default use the settings profile in settings.ini, codenamed "PlentifulPlains." They are a good starting point but other map types and presets are possible with all the options. Please look in the included ini files for examples (such as HardyHills, our other "hard mode" preset), and if you want to use them, just copy and paste the values into the actual settings.ini. You can also edit the values individually. If you want to do that, you'll probably want to look at the settings readme here: https://github.com/R-T-B/TimberbornTerrainGenerator/blob/main/SettingsReadme.md

Once the map is generated, feel free to run the water sim, drop a starting location somewhere nice, and load in. That's really all there is to it, and most of the maps it makes are playable (at least on the presets, especially on PlentifulPlains). though you may want to generate a few times to "optimze" your start. I won't judge you... heh.

Performance

A word about performance... The C# version we just realeased as of version 0.9.0 is both massively more powerful and more flexible... and massively slower than the python script version that preceeded it. This isn't due to the language. Frankly, python is slow, and the script had no business being that fast. The reason it was that fast was only because it was a list of hardcoded assumptions and as such, did almost no thinking. This obviously made customizing map parameters hard however, and the C# version is the infinitely better way forward. But yes, when you click to generate your map, be advised it MAY APPEAR FROZEN for a bit. This is normal! Some numbers on expected load times, on PCs ranging from Supreme to Potato, is available here: https://github.com/R-T-B/TimberbornTerrainGenerator/blob/main/timings.md

That said yes we consider performance a priority issue. See this ticket: https://github.com/R-T-B/TimberbornTerrainGenerator/issues/3

As of December 2022, we consider the performance issue solved.

Installation

In order to install the mod follow the instructions from BepInEx website: https://docs.bepinex.dev/articles/user_guide/installation/index.html

As of 08/24/2022, we no longer track releases beyond two major subversions back in the main readme. See the elder release notes here: https://github.com/R-T-B/TimberbornTerrainGenerator/blob/main/HistoricalReleases.md

Changelog:

v1.5.0: Just Update 3 stable support. Needs a compatible TimberAPI.

v1.5.1: Just some dependency fixes for the mod. Makes sure you have the required stuff (you probably already do, but helps fresh installs).

v1.6.0: Fix river sloping (again, doh!) and improve water source block placement.

Feedback

If you have any feedback, please reach out to me at github or on Timberborn Discord in the modding channel.

Authors

R-T-B